I have a couple of snubnose 38's, a SW M36 and a Taurus 85. I have gone through several loads with various weight bullets and velocities and can not seem to find one that will shoot to point of aim at 20 yards. Just wondering what loads members have found that shoot well in their short 38's. What is best bullet weight and velocity to get them to hit where you aim.
Thanks.

My best luck has been 158gr lead with S&W revolvers. No luck (in accuracy) with Colt snubbies, although that is probably unusual. All three Colts shot to POA with 158gr, just weren't accurate. Most of my S&W snubbies have been accurate, and most shot to POA with 158gr. Some didn't (one or two have shot to the right or left, one shoots very low regardless of ammo - haven't bothered fixing it yet because I have enough other revolvers).

I got that years ago from an article by the late Harry Archer, a USAID agent who was an S&W enthusiast who wrote for the now-defunct, "Gunfacts." I also exchanged some letters with him.

Harry had sources at the factory who told him various facts that were seldom otherwise reported.

After he said that, I tried it, and it seemed to be accurate. Keep in mind that you have to hold the front sight level with the rear sight to get those results at that range. Vary front sight exposure for longer ranges.

Thanks for the compliment. BTW, Ruger fixed-sight guns seem to be similarly sighted. Can't speak for Colt. I've had a lot of windage problems with them. The late Col. Chas. Askins bought a bunch of Colt .38's while marksmanship chief for the USBP. He had to slightly turn the barrels on most to get them on target.

I asked why he didn't buy S&W's, as he knew that he'd have that problem with Colts. He said that the S&W sales reps were snobs, while the Colt guys were friendlier! So much for government purchases...

What are you holding 6 o'clock on? Obviously some kind of target, but I don't know of an NRA 15 yard one. What you're saying is that the gun prints X inches high at 15 yards. What does X equal?

Interesting point on Askins view of Smiths for the BP issue, particularly after he appeared in their ads and had been presented the Registered Mag. by Wesson. I'd asked about this a couple of years ago but no one had an answer.

I use 158 gr. SWC and 3.2 gr. Bullseye in my 4, 5, and 6 inch .38 Spl. revolvers. In the 2 inch revolvers I find that I need to increase the Bullseye load to 3.4 gr for the best accuracy. Fixed sight revolvers can have different points of aim. I will test several loads (i.e. 3.0 to 3.6 gr Bullseye) and then file the front sight. I have a couple that I had to build the front sight higher using J.B. Weld, then file down. I have not had a J.B. Weld come loose.

I'm a fairly new shooter (about one year behind the trigger)who needs some "schoolin'". If a gun is sighted to hit six o'clock, does that mean it will hit slightly below where you aim the sites? Or do you aim the sites slightly below where you want to hit?

Probably a seperate issue but I tend to hit a little low on all the guns I fire (442, Sigma9 and M22a).

Your response confuses me, TS. What does, "sighted to HIT 6 O'CLOCK at 15 yards " mean. It has been my experience that my snubbie S&Ws will shoot 158gr, standard velocity .38s into the black of an NRA B-2 50' target utilizing a "6 o'clock hold". Are we talking about the same thing. You are correct in saying that lighter bullets will shoot low.